Snape's summer of torture
by strikefighter
Summary: Snape gets stuck babysitting for his aunts daughters children over his summer holidays. Apparently he's not one for kids. Please note that this story MAY contain spoilers.
1. Chapter 1: The bane of my existence

Today was terrible.

First day of summer vacation, and I get an owl from my aunt's daughter, asking if I would take care of her kids.

I'm not sure how many kids she has, but then again, do I really want to know?

And then again, she wasn't really asking me to take her kids for the summer, she's actually dumping them on me while she and her husband tour Asia this summer.

This is how my unfortunate morning started:

I walked down stairs and conjured some cereal and sat down at the table, I was eating some toast when a sooty grey owl flew into the window.

I turned away from my breakfast and walked over to the window. I was slightly irritated at this.

The owl fluttered in, his feathers ruffled. He holds out the foot, and tied to it is a small letter.

I untie it from the owls leg and it flies off without a backwards glance.

I sit back down and open it.

I take a bite of toast as I unfold the parchment enclosed.

When I read what is written, I choke on my food.

Severus,

Sorry for such short notice, but my husband, Lars and I are touring Asia this summer, and we can't find anyone to take our kids while we're gone,

We would be immensely thrilled if you would allow to them to stay with you this summer, I'm sure it would be a treat for all of you!

And, if you don't mind, I could drop them off Monday afternoon!

Thanks again,

Sheryl

I sighed and leaned back in my chair. Today was Sunday.

I didn't bother to clean the house; there wasn't much that needed cleaning anyway. But it didn't matter much, because when I opened the door Monday afternoon and saw four kids standing there, I knew it would have been a wasted effort anyway.

"Thanks for taking them Severus," Sheryl said.

I didn't reply. "Well, I'll be going, stay out of trouble, and listen to Uncle Severus." She was obviously unnerved by my silence.

She kissed her children goodbye and left hastily.

I groaned inwardly as I looked at the kids. The oldest looked fourteen, with long golden locks and periwinkle blue eyes. "I'm Hazel," She said.

"This is Ryder and Oliver," She pointed to two identical twins, both about twelve with long, shaggy black hair they had pale grey eyes and mischievous smiles.

"And that's Kyla," Hazel patted the head of a little girl about seven with long, brown hair and green eyes. She had round cheeks and dimples as she ran at me. I sidestepped the girl and she tripped over the hem of her light yellow dress and fell on the floor. Kyla looked up at me with her big brown eyes and burst into tears.

Hazel rushed to her side. She turned and glared at me accusingly. "What did you do that for?" She asked.

I didn't answer her; instead I told them to follow me. I lead them to their rooms. Ryder and Oliver shared a room while Hazel shared a room with Kyla.

I retreated back upstairs and set some soup on the stove. I quickly boiled it with the wave of my wand, and with another wave, the soup served itself.

Eventually, the kids showed up and sat down at the table.

"I don't like soup," Hazel said. "I prefer solid foods."

"And I prefer not having to cook meals for ungrateful little brats," I seethed.

Hazel looked taken aback. "Excuse me, but my mother didn't just dump us here to get tormented by some greasy haired freak!" She countered, refusing to eat her soup.

I took her soup. "Fine. Starve, I don't care."

She crossed her arms. "Just wait till mum hears about this," She muttered.

This was not going to be easy.


	2. Chapter 2: Morning walk and Hairbrushes

Tuesday morning dawned bright and early.

I lay in bed, asleep.

Everything was peaceful, the birds chirping outside, the drone of lawnmowers in the distance (which you grow used to when living amongst muggles), and not a sound to be bothered with.

BANG BANG BANG!

I opened my eyes and heard Hazel.

"Uncle Severus, Wake up!"

I tried to ignore her.

But she kept persisting, until eventually I got out of bed and dressed. I flung open the door. "What do you want?" I asked, not to kindly.

(She had, after all, just woken me up at seven in the morning)

"It's time for our morning walk, see mum always takes out on a morning walk at 7:15" Hazel said.

"So?" I asked. "Why should I care?"

"You're supposed to be taking care of us, and yet you won't even satisfy our needs!" Hazel cried. "I can't believe you!"

"Well you're the one being the brat," I pointed out, "And I don't like to take walks."

"Well to bad, because whether you like it or not, you're taking us on a walk!" Hazel said, hands on her hips.

"Well whether you like it or not, I am not taking you on a walk, I have a potion to brew, now if you'll excuse me." I walked away to my small secret room, hidden away. That was where I brewed all my potions.

I pulled a large book off one of my shelves and flipped through it, looking for a certain potion Dumbledore needed.

I eventually found it, and started adding ingredients to the slightly simmering cauldron.

The mixture inside turned a misty golden color, indicating it was finished.

He put the book away and got out a crystal vial.

He very carefully began pouring the mixture into the vial when he heard a loud crash and the twins came in, accompanied by Hazel, they were all arguing.

"I know you took my hairbrush!" Hazel shrieked.

"You mean this one?" Ryder (or Oliver) held up a cracked, torn up pink hairbrush.

"RYDER I WILL KILL YOU!" Hazel screamed, snatching the hairbrush, she turned tome. "Look what they've done," She growled. "Destroyed my property. They should be punished!"

I tried to sound indifferent as I said, "You shouldn't leave things where others can get to them."

Hazel glared at me, and it was almost as though her eyes were smoldering from the intensity of her gaze.

I ignored her. "Now if you would please leave, I have work to do."

"LEAVE?" Hazel shrieked. "HOW CAN I JUST LEAVE WITH THEM HAVING DESTROYED MY HAIRBRUSH!" Hazel threw the brush across the room, and it knocked the glass vial from my hand. I reached out to grab it, but was to late, it just barely slipped through my grasped. I turned on Hazel. My voice was low and dangerous.

"So, now you must think we're even." I seethed. "Well we're not."

"You just destroyed something I worked for hours on," I hissed.

And for the first time, I saw a look of fear pass across Hazels face.


	3. Chapter 3: Wrapped Up

The next morning, all of us were sitting at the table, eating breakfast.

And for the first time ever, it was quiet.

"Where's Hazel?" Kyla asked.

Ryder and Oliver smirked and glanced at each other.

Suddenly, I heard a loud scream. I looked at the twins suspiciously.

I went downstairs to the source of the scream. Everyone followed.

"Help! I'm stuck!" We heard Hazel sob, from inside her room.

I opened the door and almost laughed at what I saw. Almost.

The entire room was covered in saran wrap, the windows, the doors, the beds, everything.

And there was Hazel, wrapped up in saran wrap, stuck in her bed.

Ryder and Oliver were laughing so hard, they almost cried, even Kyla couldn't suppress a smile. "STOP LAUGHING AND HELP ME!" Hazel shrieked.

I waved my wand and it all disappeared.

Hazel fell out of her bed in a heap on the floor, when she got up again, it was as though her eyes were red, and her voice was venomous.

"Ryder…. Oliver… Severus!" She said. "This is all your fault!"

"And how is it my fault?" I asked. "After all, you were the one who's room got saran wrapped!"

Hazel glared at me. "You should've kept an eye on those two!"

Ryder and Oliver snickered.

"Why can't you?" I challenged.

"I just so happened to be getting my sleep! Which I very much need!" Hazel said.

"Well, you obviously don't think others need their sleep if you woke me up at seven in the morning yesterday!" I said.

"You're the one who forgot to take us on a walk!" She accused.

"If you want to take a walk so badly, then go take one yourself!" I snarled.

"Fine! Maybe I will!" She said, brushing past us.

"Ignorant, annoying, bastard," I heard her muttering under her breath as she stomped off.

As soon as she was gone, Oliver and Ryder burst out laughing. "Nice one Severus!" They said.

"You will not call me Severus, you will refer to me as sir," I growled.

I was in a very bad mood, and as the day progressed, it only got worse.

Authors note: Sorry the chapter was so short!


	4. Chapter 4: Payback

Authors Note: Please note that the next few chapters MAY contain spoilers for those who haven't finished the Harry Potter series!

As the day progressed, my mood only worsened.

After the saran wrap incident, all I could think of was the best way to covertly poison those kids.

"Severus!" Hazel's voice interrupted my thoughts of poisoning her.

"Don't call me that," I snapped. "You will refer to me as sir."

"Whatever," Hazel said. "But, look, I have a complaint."

"Don't you always?" I asked.

"Shut up, Severus!"

"SIR!"

"I'm a lady, not a sir, Severus!"

"HAZEL!"

"Whatever! Look, the boys read my diary!" She raged.

"So?"

"SO? Is that all you're going to say? That was an invasion of my privacy, a lack of respect for others, and yet you let that go on under YOUR roof? I've had it up to here-" She reached her hand up as far as it would go. "With you, Severus! I'm leaving!"

"Where would you go?" I asked. Though it would be very pleasing if she left, I don't think her mum would let it slide.

"Anywhere but here!" She shrieked.

"Good plan," I said sarcastically. "Well, I'm glad to see the back of you, good riddance!"

She clenched her jaw.

I picked up the book I had been reading and turned away from her.

As I suspected, she really didn't have the nerve to leave (much to my disappointment).

However, merely two long days later, she got me back.

She found my journal.

See, a few years ago, someone close to me died. And I put a picture of Lily Evans in my journal. See that journal really is just full of potions and spells, the only personal thing is that picture.

The very next day, we visited Diagon alley.

Hazel was having a good enough time, looking at some Dragon hide boots in Madam Malkin's.

Ryder and Oliver kept eyeing Weasley Wizard Wheezes

And Kyla was intrigued with…well… everything.

After we'd visited a few shops, and bought new potion ingredients and such, then, on our way out of Diagon alley, we ran into… Harry Potter and friends.


End file.
